Adjustable end wrench with locking means



W. C. CHAPMAN ADJUSTABLE END WRENCH WITH LOCKING MEANS June 22, 1965 INVENTOR. ML 1 [4 C. C'l/IPMIA/ Filed Nov. 15, 1963 Az oe/ver United States Patent 3,190,154 ADJUSTABLE END WRENCH WITH LOCKING MEANS William C. Chapman, 6061 Brighton Road, Brighton, lVlich. Filed Nov. 13, 1963, Bar. No. 323,372 '2 Claims. (Cl. 81-415) This invention relates to hand tools and has particular reference to an adjustable end wrench.

An' object of the invention is to generally improve adiustable end wrenches and. to provide a device of the character indicated which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and effective in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable end wrench, which has means to permit the adjustment of the wrench to very fine tolerances.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable end wrench with means to lock the jaws in position and under a very high degree of pressure, so that the end wrench has a simulated vise grip on the work piece, whereby to prevent the slipping of the jaws which might cause injury to the hand of the operator or damage to the work piece, particularly if the latter is made of a soft metal.

Another object of. the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which has a micrometric adjus'tment for the jaws, with toggle means to lock the jaws in position and under great pressure and means to quickly release the locking means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable end wrench which is constructed and arranged so that the worm gear for adjusting the jaws freely rotates on a spindle, and the said spindle, the gear, and jaws, are always under. spring tension to facilitate the quick and accurate primary adjustment of the jaws.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable end wrench which is constructed so that the worm gear freely rotates on a reciprocable spindle which is under spring tension at one end and hasmeans for micrometrically adjusting its longitudinal movement at the opposite end.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated, which may be used as a conventional, adjustable end wrench or may be used with the locking mechanism to effect a vise grip action on a work piece, to prevent the turning of the wrench on the work piece, which turning would round off or destroy the shoulders or edges of a nut, bolt or fitting comprising the work piece.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable end wrench, which quickly adjusts to the size of a fitting, bolt or nut and then applies a gripping pressure suflicient to hold the wrench against clipping. Conventional adjustable end wrenches, or so called crescent wrenches, all have an inherent looseness in the operating mechanism, which permits the wrench to turn, if a soft metal, or a rusted or corroded thread, is encountered.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable end wrench which is constructed with a spindle for the worm gear, having a shoulder thereon which contacts one side of the worm gear to effect additional pressure on the jaws and lock the jaws in position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device ofthe character described with a worm gear freely rotatable on a reciprocable spindle and with the worm gear spring biased whereby to urge it in a given direction on said spindle.

The foregoing, and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawing, forming part of the within disclosure, in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention, with parts shown in broken lines to indicate the adjusted position of the parts.

FIG. 2 is a left edge view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be understood that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character 7 indicates, in general, the handle of the device which is provided wtih an opening 8, whereby the device may be hung from a nail, or hook, positioned on a wall, or the lik The handle 7 terminates in a fixed jaw member 9, opposite to which is an adjustable jaw 10, which is provided with a rack portion 11, which reciprocates in a tunnel like space 12, formed in .an enlarged portion of the handle 7. The rack 11 is actuated by means of a worm gear 13, which is freely mounted for rotation on a spindle 14, the latter being reciprocable in a suitable bore 15, formed in the enlarged portion of the handle 7. A spring 16 is mounted in the bore 15 and is arranged to exert pressure on the end of the spindle 14, so that the spindle 14 is normally urged away from the spring 16. A second spring 17 is positioned between the lower end of the worm gear 13, and the end of a recess 18 formed in the cut out portion 19, of the enlarged portion of the handle member 7. The spring 17 normally urges the worm gear 13 in the same direction which the spring 16 urges the spindle 14. The spring 17 holds the threads of the gear 13 snugly against the bottom of the teeth of the rack 11 (FIG. 1). The springs 16 and 17 hold these working parts ina close fit in one direction and obviate any tendency of the parts to rattle or vibrate when the jaws 9 and 10 are not under work load.

The spindle 14 has an enlarged portion 20 forming a shoulder 20A which contacts the end of the worm gear 13 at the end opposite the spring 17. The shoulder 20A is arranged to move the gear 13 toward the spring 17, as hereinafter described. The enlarged portion 20 of the spindle 14 is received in a counter bore 21, formed in the bore 15.

A set screw 22, having a knurled head 23, and an Allen wrench socket 23A is arranged to contact the outer end of the large portion 20, of the spindle 14, so that mircometric adjustment may be made on the spindle 14, and on the worm gear 13. The set screw 22 extends into the end of the counter bore 21 and contacts the enlarged portion 20 of the spindle 14 as at 24. The set screw 22 threadedly engages a bore 25, formed in the arm 26, which comprises part of the toggle linkage hereinafter described.

The arm 26 has a downward extension 27, which extends into a slot 28, formed in the handle 7, and is pivoted as at 29 for rocking motion. The arm 26 extends into the bifurcated end 30 of a lever 31, and is pivoted thereto as at 32.

The lever 31' is pivoted as at 33 the end of another arm 34, which in turn is pivoted as at 35 to the handle 7.

The members 26, 31 and 34 comprise the toggle linkage which exerts pressure .on the set screw 22, the outer end of the spindle 14, the gear 13 and the jaw 10 when the lever 31 is in the position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 1.

In order to elevate the lever 31, and move the toggle linkage out of locking position I provide a lock release lever 36, which is pivoted as at 37 to the handle 7.

When the lever 36 is moved to the position shown by the broken lines in FIG. 1, the left end of the lever 36 will move the lever 31 to the position shown by the broken lines in FIG. 1, in which position the toggle linkage will be unlocked, and its pressure will be released from the set screw 22, the spindle 14-20, the gear 13 and the jaw 1 3 r 1 10. The springs 16 and 17 ill then takeover to exert their pressure on the spindle 14 and gear (13 in the opposite direction. i

,The operation of the device is as follows: when it is V desired to use the device the open jaws 9 and 10 are placed over a nut, bolt, or fitting desired to be rotated, and

the preliminary pressure is exerted on the jaws 9 and 10 by rotating the worm gear 13. The rotation ofthe worm just described, the toggle linkage andrthe micrometric ad justrnent are 'then brought into play. After the pre-' 1 liminarypressureis exerted as described the set-screw 22 is first rotated toward the spindle 14-20'until a suit" able pressure is exerted thereon. The togglelever 31 is der on said spindle contactable'with one end of saidgear, a set screw contactable with the end of said spindle oppo- 1 site said spring means, toggle linkage pivoted on said hanthen pressed from the position shown by the broken lines to the position'shown by the solid lines in FIG 1, whereby the toggle linkage will exert a tremendous pressure on the spindle 14-20, which in turn exerts pressure through the shoulder 20A on the worm gear 13 and the rack 11,

whereby to lock the jaws 9 and,10 in a vise like grip, which will'secnre the wrench to the nut or bolt with such force thatit is impossible to damage the shoulders or edges of the nut, or'head of the bolt, or cause the wrench to slip from the hand;

1 The jaws may 'be unlocked ,by tripping the lever 36 which in turn lifts the toggle lever 31 to the'position shown by the broken lines, FIG. ,1. i

1 t Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r 1 1. Ina wrench having a handle portion, one fixed jaw and one slideable jaw, with a rack thereon, the combiner,-

tion of a spindle reciprocable in a bore formed in said handle portion, a Worm gear freely rotatable on said spindle and in contact with said rack, spring means to urge said spindle and said worm gear in one directionand means to urge said spindle and said worm gear in the,

opposite direction, said last named means including shouldle and arranged to exert pressure on said set screw. 7

Z, In a wrench having a handle portion, one "fixed jaw and one slideablejaw, with a rack thereon,-the combinam tion of a spindle reciprocable in a boreformed in saidv 1 handle portion, a worm gear freely rotatable on said spinv die and in contact with said rack, springrrneans to urge said spindle and said worm gear in one direction and means to urge said spindle and said worm gear inthe opposite direction, said l'ast narned means including 'an enlarged portion on said spindle in contact with one-end 1 of said gear, toggle arms pivoted to said handle portion, one arm of said toggle having a threaded here there 1. through,'a set screw in said bore, said set screw having a knurled head with a socket therein, the end of said set, screw opposite said head being in alignment with said spindle and arranged to exert pressure on said spindle,

and a lever pivoted on said handle and having one end 1 arranged to contact a second arm of said toggle to'release;

the pressure on said spindle.

References Cited the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS l,

9/14 Millsap 1 81-3 16 12,524,376' 10/50 Clark' 81--330f 2,618,188 11/52 Emmett s1 s72 x WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON s. MEI-IR, Examiner. 

1. IN A WRENCH HAVING A HANDLE PORTION, ONE FIXED JAW AND ONE SLIDEABLE JAW, WITH A RACK THEREON, THE COMBINATION OF A SPINDLE RECIPROCABLE IN A BORE FORMED IN SAID HANDLE PORTION, A WORM GEAR FREELY ROTATABLE ON SAID SPINDLE AND IN CONTACT WITH SAID RACK, SPRING MEANS TO URGE SAID SPINDLE AND SAID WORM GEAR IN ONE DIRECTION AND MEANS TO URGE SAID SPINDLE AND SAID WORM GEAR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS INCLUDING SHOULDER ON SAID SPINDLE CONTACTABLE WITH ONE END OF SAID GEAR, A SET SCREW CONTACTABLE WITH THE END OF SAID SPINDLE OPPOSITE SAID SPRING MEANS, TOGGLE LINKAGE PIVOTED ON SAID HANDLE AND ARRANGED TO EXERT PRESSURE ON SAID SET SCREW. 